Writing in his blog today, Zainuddin took exception to an assertion made by Deputy Prime Minister and Umno Deputy President Zahid Hamidi on Friday that the party could afford to lose some old friends as it would gain a new one that would be together with Umno in a larger grouping.
Zahid had also said the Umno-led federal government would table the controversial shariah amendment bill proposed by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang in the Dewan Rakyat soon.
“Anyone would easily understand the statement by Zahid as meaning that Umno can split from MCA, MIC and other component parties who are against RUU 355 (proposed amendment to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act) as long as the party gets to cooperate with PAS,” he said.
“This statement assures that the tabling of the bill will no longer be held back and presents Umno as being determined to work with PAS even though the price that has to be paid to raise a Malay tsunami would be high,” he said.
He said Umno was willing to sacrifice its old friends who have been with it since before Malaysia’s independence, just to cooperate with PAS which was its main challenger since that time and which previously considered Umno as “kafir” (infidel).
He stressed that Hadi had not responded to Zahid in a welcoming manner.
Hadi said PAS wanted to study the draft of the bill first before it is brought to Parliament and to ensure the interests of non-Muslims were not adversely affected.
“The conclusion in this affair is that Umno is so desperate to get political support from PAS that it is forced to sacrifice old friendships, while PAS is still cautious and sensitive to the feelings of non-Malays (non-Muslims) and wants to take care of their dignity,” said Zainuddin, popularly known as Zam.
Zainuddin said PAS was still in a state of uncertainty on whether cooperation with the Umno-led government would benefit it, or whether another party would better ensure its participation and standing in a new government after GE14.
Hadi had put forward the private member’s bill in the house last year,
It seeks to raise the maximum penalties for shariah offences to 30 years’ jail, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the cane. Shariah court punishments are currently capped at jail terms not exceeding three years, a maximum of RM5,000 for fines and whipping of not more than six strokes of the cane.